A flexible ice-monitoring electronic skin developed by Wuhan Huaweike Intelligent Technology Co, based in the Optics Valley of China (OVC), accompanied China's 16th Arctic expedition team on Aug 13. This marks the first time that smart sensing products from OVC have been used for polar scientific exploration.

During the Arctic expedition, Huaweike's flexible ice-monitoring electronic skin will undergo field testing and collect data in the extreme conditions of the world's coldest seas.

The sensor, with a maximum thickness of just 2.5 mm, is powered by solar energy and batteries, eliminating the need for wiring. It can be directly attached to the surface of monitored objects and accurately measure critical information such as ice thickness, temperature, and vibration. This data will provide valuable empirical support for studying polar sea ice evolution and constructing climate change models.

Founded in 2011, Huaweike specializes in flexible tactile sensing. Their flexible electronic skin effectively equips robots with a sense of "touch". More than a decade after its founding, Huaweike has achieved a market share exceeding 70 percent in the humanoid robot tactile electronic skin sector, maintaining a leading position in industry shipments.